1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to sportsboards, such as surfboards snowboards, skis, and skateboards, and more particularly to a sportsboard locking apparatus which is constructed to engage with a recessed channel provided on the sportsboard for locking functions. Although the sportsboards generally include but not limited to snowboards, skis, bicycles, and skateboards, for instructional pruposes the disclosure herein is drawn primarily to water oriented type devices, namely surfboards and the like.
2. Description of Related Arts
Sports and recreational activities involving a board apparatus onto which a recreational user mounts and propels himself and the board along the surface of water and within wave movement has a large consumer and professional base of participation worldwide. The board device utilized in such activities will be collectively referred to herein as a surfboard, although it is understood that the present invention can be applied to a multitude of water oriented sportsboard devices including but not limited to wind surfing/sailing boards, wake riding boards, and the like.
Developments in the surfboard""s functional and appearance features; the board""s inherent performance; and general quality of materials and manufacture require participants to make substantial monetary investments in the surfboard apparatus. Yet the size, structure and fragility of materials used in the surfboard""s manufacture does not lend the surfboard to readily be secured by the activity participant from theft, particularly in the outdoor environment of such recreational activities namely beaches and waterfronts motor vehicle racks, and similar unsecured environments.
Efforts to secure surfboards and the like in these outdoor, recreational environments have included: methods of wrapping substantial planar portions of the surfboard in security cables and the like secured to stationary articles; and to utilize devices intended to be attached to hardware comprising the surfboard itself. These methods and devices have disadvantages including: their being cumbersome to use; prone to dis-engagement by vandals; limited in practicality and effectiveness; and requiring the use of custom surfboard design features, thereby inhibiting their widespread use and effectiveness with surfboards having standard design features.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,649 to Spence describes and claims a lock apparatus attachable to a cross bar positioned in a surfboard article, the apparatus locking thereto and including a cable attaching the surfboard to a stationary article. This Spence ""649 apparatus utilizes the surfboard""s deck plug cross bar and the purpose of which is for attaching a nylon or like cord thereto, the cord serving as a leash type tether upon its attachment to the user""s ankle. The apparatus described in the ""649 patent functions with little regard for protecting the leash cord tether. This is evident from FIGS. 1-3 and the close quartered interaction of a notched bolt end sliding concentric to an outer casing and interacting with casing end slots to surround the cross bar within the close quartered plug recess.
An additional shortcoming of the ""649 apparatus involves the confined space in which a multiplicity of close tolerance, moving parts function namely the harsh and corrosive environments including natural and salt water and abrasive sand and dirt particles. The presence of corrosion and salt residue, dirt or sand within or between the apparatus""s moving part surfaces invite wear and inhibited motion or seizing during device operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,754 to McKenzie discloses a locking device for surfboards including: a hooked end ratchet blade for engaging the surfboard""s cross bar, a device plug to engage flush with the deck surface of the board, and a mechanism within the plug to lock the ratchet blade thereby locking the device to the deck plug cross bar and further employing a cable for subsequent attachment of the assembly to a stationary object to prevent theft.
The ""754 device relies upon a ratchet blade""s slideable engagement of a locking mechanism utilizing the blades teeth. This must be accomplished in the salt water and sand environments the surfboard encounters. Here, corrosion and salt residue, sand, and dirt within or between the device""s moving parts invite wear and inhibited motion or seizing during device operation.
Although the McKenzie device recognizes the importance of not interfering with the standard leash cord within and without the cup recess, its notch at the bottom edge of the device plug provides inadequate accommodation to the leash cord as evidenced by the requirement that the bottom surface of the device plug is sufficiently large to completely cover the cup recess to prevent thieves from prying the cup out of the recess.
Both the ""649 and ""754 devices engage a cross bar located within a recessed cup within the surfboard""s body. As such, both locking devices are prone to vandals xe2x80x9crockingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9calternately twistingxe2x80x9d the lock devices that are attached to the boards such that the cross bar and or recessed cup are torn away from the surfboard. In such case, the board is damaged and or un-secured from the devices"" security measures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,963 to Frizzell discloses and claims a surfboard fin quick release system for attaching a fin to a surfboard. The system comprises a fin box having a longitudinal channel within the surfboard and a mechanism located on the tang of the fin, which secures the fin into the fin box channel. Frizzel""s quick release system does not provide a means to fix the mechanism to the surfboard for security purposes. Thus, the system does not function to protect the surfboard from theft neither by itself nor with ancillary devices. Devices such as McKenzie, Spence or other hook or grip-like functioning devices are incompatible with a Frizzel type structure.
A main objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus to overcome the shortcomings of the prior arts with numerous benefits and advantages inherent in the form and function disclosed herein.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus for securely, easily and firmly locking the sportsboard to a hardware for security reasons.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus, wherein the sportsboard locking apparatus is an universally versatile apparatus for securing a broad range of sports and recreational devices which incorporate a xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d or similar cross section feature so that the inventive apparatus can firmly and securely engage the sportsboard and thereby facilitate a method for securing the sportsboard from theft.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus for securing a surfboard from theft by use of a standard design feature of such boards, that is a fin box recess in the body of the surfboard, while overcoming the shortcomings of prior art devices and methods which are susceptible to xe2x80x9crockingxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9calternating twistingxe2x80x9d damage inherent in devices attaching to deck plugs and cross-bars.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus, wherein the sportsboard locking apparatus would not adversely affect and cause any damages to other structural and appearance features, such as leash cord tethers as in deck plug engaging security devices.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus, which is simple to manufacture and use while it is easily adapted to standard surfboard designs rather than custom features, and thus inexpensive. The limited number of components involved, eth simple design features, and the limited interaction and assembly requirements of the present apparatus elements carry a modest raw material, manufacture and assembly costs while its adaptability to varied types of surfboards with fin boxes is great without requiring custom features or modifications.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sportsboard locking apparatus, which is useful, functions and performs without problems in the environments the surfboard encounters. Given the salt, sand and dirt the environments to which such surfboards are exposed, the present invention features simple part design with limited moving interaction so that these environments are not likely to invite wear, inhibit motion, nor experience seizing of parts during device operation.
In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a sportsboard locking apparatus to engage and secure to standard design features on sports and recreational devices, such as sportsboards. In the case of the water oriented device, or surfboard, this feature is namely a fin box within a recessed channel below the outer surface of the surfboard and intimate with and contained within the board""s core body. The term surfboard is intended to include but not be limited to board devices useful in activities such as: surfing, wind sailing/surfing; wake riding and the like.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, two robust formed members are vertically aligned in intimate contact with each other and slidably joined. The sportsboard locking apparatus firmly and securely engages the standard features of a surfboard, namely a fin box channel. The fin box is located within the body of the surfboard at its rear end and comprises a basic xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d shaped channel which runs from the rear of the surfboard longitudinally toward the board""s forward end. The xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d channel is comprised of four grooves, three comprising the xe2x80x9ccrossxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ctopxe2x80x9d of the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d and the fourth comprising the xe2x80x9clengthxe2x80x9d of the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d. The three grooves comprising the cross and top of the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d are recessed within the board""s body. The fourth groove, the length of the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d, begins at the surfboard""s outer skin and terminates within the board""s body wherein the grooves of the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d""s cross begin.
The two, slidably joined locking members are vertically lowered toward and into the fin box channel such that the first member engages one half of the fin box channel xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d""s cross groove or inverted xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d and the outer surface of the board. The second member of the apparatus slides with respect to the first member further into the length of the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d channel and engages the second half of the fin box channel xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d length and the xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d top groove. In this manner, the two locking members consume and firmly engage the fin box channel xe2x80x9c+xe2x80x9d length, cross and top grooves. Once the primary mechanical elements of the locking apparatus are fixed and intimate within the fin box channel, a padlock and cable or other security device are introduced to and fix the vertical members and provide a means of securing the surfboard to a stationary article via the sportsboard locking apparatus and thereby securing the surfboard from theft.
The apparatus is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble due to the simple design and functioning of its parts. The simple interaction of the apparatus""s parts and ancillary security elements, i.e. padlock and security cable, minimizes surfboard engagement steps and makes it easy to use.
These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.